A majority of Australia’s workforce is coping with alarming levels of stress. According to a 10-year research which involved 30,000 employees, 65.1% of the participants had reported experiencing moderate to high-stress levels. As a result, workers are experiencing the negative impact of stress on their physical and mental health which includes obesity, high blood pressure, and psychological distress.

But not only does stress affect workers—it can also have an impact on productivity and employee retention. A new survey reveals that stressed workers are 2 ½ times more likely to look for a new job in the next year than those who are not stressed.
While workers should find ways to cope in positive ways, the poll also showed that 85% of workers believe that it is the employer’s responsibility to create an environment to help them deal with stress. To improve overall performance and ensure the organisation’s success, here’s how leaders can help employees cope with stress.

Build interactive break rooms
One way that leaders and organisations can prevent the build-up of stress among employees is to give workers adequate break times. Working non-stop can be exhausting and counterproductive, and it can result to burn out. Provide interactive break rooms where employees can relax or recharge during their break time. Make your break room more comfortable by providing large, comfy couches and chairs where workers can rest and have conversations with their peers. Free beverages such as coffee or tea are a welcome perk and can help enhance their break times. You may also want to add a few extras such as a pool table and a sound system so workers can enjoy listening to music during their break.

Offer flexible work schedules
Many employees are stressed from trying to balance the demands of work with their responsibilities at home. Offering flexible work schedules and work arrangements can go a long way in keeping workers’ stress levels down. For instance, leaders can allow workers to telecommute on certain days. Even allowing workers with children to leave early so they can pick their kids up after school or attend their games will be a big help towards helping employees attain work-life balance.

Encourage employees to exercise
Even the most brilliant employee need to take some time to exercise as doing physical activity on a regular basis can help one to work smarter and have greater focus. Leaders should encourage workers to take time from their day to exercise, no matter how little time they have to devote to it. A 15-minute run on the treadmill or walk around the block is still better than doing nothing at all.

Try these steps to help your employees cope with stress. Not only will this help to improve their lives but doing so will also contribute to your organisation’s success in the long run.

Author: Jane Fisher
Image: rawpixel.com

]]>http://www.meironlees.com.au/2018/03/27/how-leaders-can-help-employees-cope-with-stress/feed/0Why Corporate Coaching Has Become So Popularhttp://www.meironlees.com.au/2014/02/14/why-corporate-coaching-has-become-so-popular/
http://www.meironlees.com.au/2014/02/14/why-corporate-coaching-has-become-so-popular/#respondThu, 13 Feb 2014 15:27:56 +0000http://www.meironlees.com.au/?p=5015If you think about it, what is the most important benefit of any corporate coaching program? It is to affect behaviour change in some aspect of the business that requires improvement. It is about people doing things differently to what they were doing before. What is the best way to make this happen and is corporate coaching the best solution?

It is most interesting to discover the way people absorb, retain and apply new information. Some people are visual while others are auditory or kinaesthetic learners. This learning preference plays out very differently in corporate training as opposed to a corporate coaching environment. When people are in a training room the challenge of the facilitator is to engage the audience in the hope of fulfilling everyone’s learning preferences. A tough ask indeed!

The facilitator has another even bigger challenge. This is the avoidance styles of participants when they are not keeping up to speed with the learning. Few people will ever admit to their deficiencies and hence leave without gaining the necessary knowledge.

When it comes to corporate coaching the dynamic is different. There is a one on one interaction with a corporate coach making it a lot safer and comfortable for the participant to communicate any challenges. In business many people experience vulnerability and lack of confidence as two major obstacles. Group training and workshops can do little to improve these factors as there is a limit to how far down the rabbit hole you can go.

Corporate coaching does not have this restriction. If the skills of the corporate coach are honed, the results can be exceptional. Another important aspect is structure. Corporate coaching is a process not a program. This difference is material when it comes to the question of sustainability.

When one compares the effectiveness between corporate training and corporate coaching one would need to look at what the preferred outcome is. If it’s more on the behavioural slant, my suggestion is corporate coaching as a preferred method.

However when it comes to more skills based learning, training is often a better choice. This option also provides another aspect to learning that corporate coaching cannot offer. This is group learning and interactivity. We often tend to learn from the questions of others and through interactions that provide the foundation for exploration and discussion. Sometimes even just hearing the conversations of others can spark a new wave of thinking within us.

The trend now days is focused on achieving results better and faster. Short term results are the major pressure for executives. They are looking for high quality engagement and a corporate coach that can bring them to reaching their goals in the most effective and successful way.

No other learning intervention can achieve this tough ask other than in a one on one interaction between a highly experienced corporate coach and his client.

Perhaps when the pressure subsides people will afford the luxury of sitting a two day training workshop?

]]>http://www.meironlees.com.au/2014/02/14/why-corporate-coaching-has-become-so-popular/feed/0Should Australian Business Coaches Be Accredited?http://www.meironlees.com.au/2014/01/16/should-australian-business-coaches-be-accredited/
http://www.meironlees.com.au/2014/01/16/should-australian-business-coaches-be-accredited/#respondWed, 15 Jan 2014 15:26:18 +0000http://www.meironlees.com.au/?p=5013This article explores the question of whether the corporate coaching industry in Australia should require corporate coaches to be accredited? Let’s face it the number one sports people, world renowned leaders and politicians all have highly credible coaches. Are corporate coaches exempt from showing their credibility through accreditation or qualification?

This debate has been buzzing around the Australian corporate coaching world recently and is becoming increasingly relevant now that the impact of business coaching is being felt.

More and more organisations are adopting corporate coaching and mentoring programs with their senior management and leadership teams and their experiences have overall seemed to prove quite positive.

With the interest in business coaching on the rise more and more business coaches are entering the market to take advantage of this fairly lucrative industry.

But who are those that are claiming that they indeed can coach at senior leadership levels and promise to transform organisations into profitable enterprises with a satisfied and happy workforce?

Is the attraction of a helping hand, shared burdens and a promise of future success sufficient to entice Australian business to dig deep and invest in business coaching no matter the qualification or experiential successes of the coach?

While admittedly there are many worthy and experienced business coaches there is no regulation as yet as to corporate coaching accreditation.

There are corporate coaching organisations as well as academic programs to cater for those corporate coaches that choose accreditation and qualification but it is solely at their own peril and not a regulatory requirement.

So will regulation be compulsory and is it necessary for the industry to try and set a standard for corporate coaches through accreditation programs?

If indeed it does, it would beg the question wether a Welch, a Branson, a Murdoch or a Lowy would require accreditation or qualification to justify their existence as a business coach?

Furthermore, as with the psychologists and social workers would it be advisable that the practitioner have some support and opportunity to debrief their challenging scenarios with those who have successfully walked down similar paths before them?

All these questions are relevant and their answers are not that straight forward.

Form the way the corporate coaching industry is heading in Australia I wouldn’t be surprised if some sort of accreditation or experiential success would become a requirement before any business coaching program was to be accepted and implemented.

This will become especially relevant when more and more business coaches enter the market. Not only will it serve to ensure high standards of corporate coaching excellence but will also weed out those who simply don’t cut the mustard.

As far as support for business coaches is concerned, I cannot see any immediate movement to make this compulsory.

If corporate coaches preach the value of coaching surely it should apply to them as well? After all can we ever be objective about ourselves?

]]>http://www.meironlees.com.au/2014/01/16/should-australian-business-coaches-be-accredited/feed/0Business Coaches – The 4 Qualities of Australia’s Besthttp://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/12/12/business-coaches-the-4-qualities-of-australias-best/
http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/12/12/business-coaches-the-4-qualities-of-australias-best/#respondWed, 11 Dec 2013 15:23:41 +0000http://www.meironlees.com.au/?p=5011Business coaching has become more and more accepted as a development opportunity for Australian organisations but how do you choose the one business coach that will be the most compatible and give you the best results?

At the moment Australian organizations are being flooded by many people that claim to be a business coach. They are promising to be the one that will make all the companies problems disappear if only we would just listen to them and use their services.

Many are fantastic sales people that spin a great story about their business coaching and mentoring skills and have well versed lines of influence to the unguarded employer. While many are worth their salt there are equally as many that have little experience and know how to guide an organization or leader to their preferred results.

So how do we know how to discern the good from the bad and could there be some guidelines or values that can help an employer make the right decision when choosing their business coach?

The first point for consideration is what I call the “values fit”. Does this business coach share the same or similar values to that of the organization in their business coaching approach? Are their business coaching methodologies aligned and congruent to the expected behavioural norms of the company?

The second aspect is the degree of understanding of the issues at hand and the experience of the professional coach in working with that type of challenge. It is all very well to have a logical appreciation and grasp of the issues but that is very different from knowing the right path that will lead to a successful outcome. The professional coach can see a clear path forward and knows experientially what will and won’t work.

The third component is the personal dynamic or connection between the business coach and the participant. This is particularly important when it comes to one on one professional coaching. A good rapport is vital in facilitating open and honest discussion. Professional coaching is not prescriptive and therefore communication flow is mainly from participant to business coach and not the other way around. For this to occur, a safe comfortable environment needs to be present. This will not be possible without the right dynamic and connection between the parties.

The fourth factor in evaluating a business coach is in their business coaching structure and process. Take a look at the process. How many sessions are there per stage and do they differ from one stage of the business coaching process to the other. A well structured business coaching program divides the sessions into logical stages incorporating all aspects of the challenge at hand. For example; skills and capability requirements, behavioural components and sustainability factors. Each of these stages requires different time lines and hence a variation in the number of sessions.

It is also recommended that a reporting agreement be included to provide a full update of how the business coaching program is progressing.

These four qualities of the business coaching expert is certainly non exhaustive however they can be a good indicator of the success factors that can enable your business coaching requirements to be met or even exceeded.

]]>http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/12/12/business-coaches-the-4-qualities-of-australias-best/feed/0Leadership Coaching – What Makes a Good Leader?http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/11/18/leadership-coaching-what-makes-a-good-leader/
http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/11/18/leadership-coaching-what-makes-a-good-leader/#respondSun, 17 Nov 2013 15:22:17 +0000http://www.meironlees.com.au/?p=5007Adapted from an article in Leadership-Tools.com

Psychological tests have been used to determine what characteristics are most commonly noted among successful leaders. This list of characteristics can be used for leadership coaching purposes to help leaders gain insight and develop their leadership traits and skills.

The increasing rate of change in the business environment is a major factor in this new emphasis on leadership development. Whereas in the past, leaders were expected to maintain the status quo in order to move ahead, new forces in the marketplace have made it necessary to expand this narrow focus. The new leaders of tomorrow are visionary. They are both learners and teachers. Not only do they foresee paradigm changes in society, but they also have a strong sense of ethics and work to build integrity in their organizations.

Raymond Cattell, a pioneer in the field of personality assessment, developed the Leadership Potential equation in 1954. This equation, which was based on a study of military leaders, is used today in leadership development coaching programs to determine the leadership traits which characterize an effective leader.

Developing the following traits of an effective leader:

Leadership Development Coaching Focus 1
Emotional Stability Good leaders must be able to tolerate frustration and stress. Overall, they must be well-adjusted and have the psychological maturity to deal with anything they are required to face.

Leadership Development Coaching Focus 2Dominance Leaders are often times competitive and decisive and usually enjoy overcoming obstacles. Overall, they display leadership traits that are assertive in their thinking style as well as their attitude in dealing with others.

Leadership Development Coaching Focus 3Enthusiasm Leaders are usually seen as active, expressive, and energetic. They are often very optimistic and open to change. Overall, they are generally quick and alert and tend to be uninhibited.

Leadership Development Coaching Focus 4Conscientiousness Leaders are often dominated by a sense of duty and tend to be very exacting in character. They usually have a very high standard of excellence and an inward desire to do one’s best. They also have a need for order and tend to be very self-disciplined.

Leadership Development Coaching Focus 5Social Boldness Leaders tend to be spontaneous risk-takers. They are usually socially aggressive and generally thick-skinned. Overall, they are responsive to others and tend to be high in emotional stamina.

Leadership Development Coaching Focus 6Tough-mindedness Good leaders are practical, logical, and to-the-point. They tend to be low in sentimental attachments and comfortable with criticism. They are usually insensitive to hardship and overall, are very poised.

Leadership Development Coaching Focus 7Self-assurance Self-confidence and resiliency are common traits among leaders. They tend to be free of guilt and have little or no need for approval. They are generally secure and free from guilt and are usually unaffected by prior mistakes or failures.

Leadership Development Coaching Focus 8Compulsiveness Leaders were found to be controlled and very precise in their social interactions. Overall, they were very protective of their integrity and reputation and consequently tended to be socially aware and careful, abundant in foresight, and very careful when making decisions or determining specific actions.

Beyond these basic leadership traits, leaders of today must also possess leadership traits which will help them motivate others and lead them in new directions. Leaders of the future must be able to envision the future and convince others that their vision is worth following.

To do this, they must have the following personality leadership traits:

High energy Long hours and some travel are usually a prerequisite for leadership positions, especially as your company grows. Remaining alert and staying focused are two of the greatest obstacles you will have to face as a leader.

Intuitiveness Rapid changes in the world today combined with information overload result in an inability to “know” everything. In other words, reasoning and logic will not get you through all situations. In fact, more and more leaders are learning to the value of using their intuition and trusting their “gut” when making decisions.

Maturity To be a good leader, personal power and recognition must be secondary to the development of your employees. In other words, maturity is based on recognizing that more can be accomplished by empowering others than can be by ruling others.

Team Orientation Business leaders today put a strong emphasis on team work. Instead of promoting an adult/child relationship with their employees, leaders create an adult/adult relationship which fosters team cohesiveness.

Empathy Being able to “put yourself in the other person’s shoes” is a key trait of leaders today. Without empathy, you can’t build trust. And without trust, you will never be able to get the best effort from your employees.

Charisma People usually perceive leaders as larger than life. Charisma plays a large part in this perception. Leaders who have charisma are able to arouse strong emotions in their employees by defining a vision which unites and captivates them. Using this vision, leaders motivate employees to reach toward a future goal by tying the goal to substantial personal rewards and values.

Overall, leaders are larger than life in many ways. Personal leadership traits play a major role in determining who will and who will not be comfortable leading others. However, it’s important to remember that people are forever learning and changing.

Leaders are rarely (if ever) born. Circumstances and persistence are major components in the developmental process of any leader. So if your goal is to become a leader, work on developing those areas of your personality that you feel are not “up to par” seek assistance from a leadership coach.

For instance, if you have all of the basic leadership traits but do not consider yourself very much of a “people” person, try taking classes or reading books on empathy. On the other end, if relating to others has always come naturally to you, but you have trouble making logical decisions, try learning about tough-mindedness and how to develop more psychological resistance.

Always remember, anyone can do anything they set their mind to.

]]>http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/11/18/leadership-coaching-what-makes-a-good-leader/feed/0Leadership Development The Transformational Process of Coachinghttp://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/10/15/leadership-development-the-transformational-process-of-coaching/
http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/10/15/leadership-development-the-transformational-process-of-coaching/#respondMon, 14 Oct 2013 15:15:42 +0000http://www.meironlees.com.au/?p=5005This article elaborates on the transition that leaders experience on their journey to achieve a level of leadership that makes their influence compelling and inspirational. A certain leadership training process is required in order to make this goal a reality. What does it take to be exceptional and what can leaders expect their leadership development coaching programs to deliver?

Change is usually a challenging process for most and when leaders recognise that they need to do things differently it uncovers numerous obstacles from a leadership development perspective. The first challenge in the transition process is awareness of the totality of the issues at hand. Without agreement of the aspects to transform the process cannot move forward successfully.

When leaders have the “light bulb” moments themselves without having been coaxed into “seeing” objective reality the process is far more sustainable and meaningful. This needs to be an essential element in the leadership development coaching program.

The next step in the transformational journey is something called impact. Impact is the realisation of consequences beyond the self of doing and not doing certain actions. The power of a leader is his/her ability to influence and create change in the lives of those led by them. Leadership impact forms and molds cultures in organisations and it’s ripple effect is felt through the DNA of people, systems and technological functions. This aspect in the leadership development program is crucial in ensuring that the transformational direction is kept on track.

Following this stage in the leadership development coaching program is overcoming resistance. This happens when core beliefs are challenged, and the risks associated with transformation expressed. There is a gift and a liability to every action. When the risk of change is greater than the gift of success, transformation cannot occur.

When resistance is resolved the conversation of possibility can proceed. This can reveal exciting opportunities that previously were unavailable to the leader given his/her beliefs and perceptions. The skill of the leadership development coach is paramount in this stage. Without realistic, plausible and achievable possibilities the process loses face in the eyes of the leader and transformation is discredited. Leaders often need to see the ’how to’ before they will even start to venture further down the track. This leads to the next phase.

Action planning makes possibilities real. This is where leaders find the process the most stimulating and least threatening. They draw upon their vast experience and skills and become excited about the strategic aspects of the process. The capability of the leadership development coach is often surpassed by the leader in this stage. It is therefore most important that the trainer lets of any ego involvement. Transparency is king and it’s important that expectations are managed.

Transformation is never simple or predictable but is a humbling process for the leadership development coach to be part of such a powerful and wonderful journey.

]]>http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/10/15/leadership-development-the-transformational-process-of-coaching/feed/0The Executive Coach and The Philosophical Approachhttp://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/09/17/the-executive-coach-and-the-philosophical-approach/
http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/09/17/the-executive-coach-and-the-philosophical-approach/#respondMon, 16 Sep 2013 16:13:04 +0000http://www.meironlees.com.au/?p=5003It is an interesting phenomenon that when we become in touch with ourselves from a deeper perspective transformation and change occurs at a faster rate. Many executive coach methodologies are centred at either the cerebral or emotion level but few touch the more philosophical aspects of the issues at hand. This discussion offers a new approach to executive coaching that colours it with a fresh and brighter perspective.

There are many facets to the challenges we face and depending upon which angle we are looking at it, the view is different.

Let’s take for example a common problem that many an executive coach is called upon to deal with. That of managing the communication divide across generations.

Most workplaces now days are diverse and Baby Boomers are working along side Gen Y with a Gen X boss at the helm. The mix is varied however the challenge for the executive coach is managing across these generations.

The conventional approach from the executive coach mindset would be to identify the needs of each generation encompassing both the intellectual and emotional components and ensuring that each is aware and sensitive to the needs of the other.

Appropriate actions and non actions are recognised and each generation becomes cognisant of how to behave and communicate with one another.

While this approach has many obvious positive benefits it ignores the real essence of what each generation is about, their deeper purpose and desires that are so strong that if left unattended cause dissatisfaction, discontentment and despondency.

Human evolution is a powerful force and it calls upon us to either rise to the challenge of the expansion of consciousness or ignore it at each milestone of our ageing process.

The generational journey is personal and distinctive and when viewed through the eyes of the more philosophical and reflective practitioner it morphs into an honouring and respectful challenge for those at differing stages along the way. With this awareness the executive coach becomes the bridge across each of these wonderful stages of development where each offers its own uniqueness, experience and beauty.

The executive coach, in this instance, takes on a humbling and privileged responsibility of creating unity among this apparent divide.

Philosophically and actually we are all playing out our behaviours that mirror our reflections on this vast spectrum of consciousness and awareness.

For the executive coach, it’s an opportunity not to be missed!

]]>http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/09/17/the-executive-coach-and-the-philosophical-approach/feed/0Leadership Training and Coaching: Are Australian Leaders Connecting the Dots?http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/08/12/leadership-training-and-coaching-are-australian-leaders-connecting-the-dots/
http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/08/12/leadership-training-and-coaching-are-australian-leaders-connecting-the-dots/#respondSun, 11 Aug 2013 16:11:39 +0000http://www.meironlees.com.au/?p=5001One of the key ingredients of great leadership is the ability for a leader to develop a high degree of self awareness. It is not possible that an organisations culture changes without a preceding behavioural leadership change. Leadership Coaching and Mentoring is about highlighting this awareness for Australian leaders and for them to recognise and prioritise this important connection.

The leadership mantra “For an organisation to change, I must change” is most certainly ringing true as the pressure to create the right culture becomes more of a pressing issue for Australian leaders. They want more from their people given the current economic climate and leadership coaching and mentoring is now called upon to assist in making this happen.

It is for this reason that leadership development and training is more about aligning leadership behaviour to that of constructive cultures. It is uncanny when diagnostic analysis indicates the parallel between the thinking and behavioural styles of leaders and the behaviour of people led by them.

This connect further cements the responsibility of leaders to not only have more self awareness but also to emulate the culture they want to create by role modelling that behaviour. This requires a specific focus in the leadership training and development process.

The first step is to identify the current culture that exists in the organisation and the preferred culture that is to be created.

The second step is a leadership behavioural analysis. This will identify the current behavioural styles adopted by the leader and highlights which are constructive and which are counter productive behaviours.

The third step is to connect the leadership behaviour to the current culture and determine the behavioural changes that are to be made.

The fourth step is to ensure the leadership training methodologies will produce the desired results. This will naturally depend upon the effectiveness and influence the leadership coaching and mentoring program will have on the particular leader.

There are many leadership coaching and mentoring programs on offer and it is a worthwhile exercise to take time in finding the right one. Ask colleagues or connections in other organisations about who they have used and if they have any recommendations. Talk with a few suppliers about their processes and strategies.

The challenging aspect in this leadership development process is for leaders to take on the accountability and promise to walk the talk on the road to creating the preferred culture.

Many find it a daunting and pressurised task to have the awareness and mindset that their behaviour is not only being observed continuously by employees but also that it gives them tacit permission to do the same.

For this reason leaders need to be supported, encouraged and managed throughout this leadership development process.

It is lonely at the top but the difference one person makes to many far outweigh the challenges of the coaching and mentoring journey.

]]>http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/08/12/leadership-training-and-coaching-are-australian-leaders-connecting-the-dots/feed/0Business Coaches and The Importance of Being in Flowhttp://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/07/17/business-coaches-and-the-importance-of-being-in-flow/
http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/07/17/business-coaches-and-the-importance-of-being-in-flow/#respondTue, 16 Jul 2013 16:03:46 +0000http://www.meironlees.com.au/?p=4999This discussion focuses on the concept of flow and it’s role in the process of working with a business coach. This concept albeit an ancient one, is unused by most business coaches primarily because it’s application is not fully understood. This article identifies what flow is and provides practical techniques for integration by your business coach.

I once heard a great analogy for the human experience that most executive coaches will identify with. It compares us to a spring coil. The natural state of a spring coil is when it’s fully distended. When its compressed it’s under pressure and pushes back to get to its natural state. When we are under pressure with life’s challenges and demands, we are like a compressed spring coil, out of our natural state of being at ease. In the state it is difficult to function at our best and we often feel drained and unfocused.

A good business coach will know that many executives spend most of the time compressed, out of flow and feeling stressed. Flow is when things seem effortless and when we are not resistant to what is. It’s when we immerse ourselves in the experience with no judgement and expectations. It’s when we embrace fully and accept the moment as being perfect the way it is even though it may be challenging. Flow is about letting go and trusting that our actions will make the difference in accordance with our intention.

Being in flow is when we’re doing what we enjoy, using our strengths, following our intuition and focusing on present moment actions. It is also when we align ourselves to the outcomes we want and ensure that our thoughts, speech and actions are congruent to these outcomes. Anything outside of this creates a pressured spring coil.

With these flow factors in mind the business coach can guide the executive coaching conversation on the how flow can best be integrated and to make it part of the way the client operates in his or her environment. As with any change process the first key step is to identify any resistances to this way of being. Without buy in the business coaching process cannot progress.

The next step in this process is for the business coach to encourage their client to articulate the benefits of leading or managing in this way. What styles, behaviours and activities would change and how could flow be integrated into the team or organisatons culture? What would the new expectations be and how is sustainability promoted?

Because the concept of flow is new it would be prudent to introduce it subtly first and for managers to role model flow behaviour. Once people can observe what it looks and feels like their acceptance of it will flow with less resistance.

What we can say for sure is that the power of flow is in its simplicity and moves people towards achieving success in the best way they know how to reach it.

]]>http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/07/17/business-coaches-and-the-importance-of-being-in-flow/feed/0Should Management Training Come From Within?http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/06/16/should-management-training-come-from-within/
http://www.meironlees.com.au/2013/06/16/should-management-training-come-from-within/#respondSat, 15 Jun 2013 16:02:31 +0000http://www.meironlees.com.au/?p=4997It is an interesting debate whether a management coach should be offered up internally by senior executives or whether it is better to engage an external leadership trainer. There certainly are pros and cons both ways. This article takes the discussion a little further.

Although there are many common aspects to being a leadership trainer across the board, from the behavioural considerations to the skills and capabilities of the leader. There are many that are specific to the company in question.

No external leadership trainer would ever exceed the knowledge and experience of those that live and breathe the culture of the organisation on a daily basis. In addition to this is the fact that senior executives of long standing have a history and deep experience of the relationship dynamics that currently exist and those that have shaped the way others behave and engage.

If this scenario holds true does it not build a strong case for management training tocome from one of the appropriate senior executives within the organisation? After all they have the superior knowledge and expertise of the business that would add a valuable dimension to any leadership training conversation.

Equally another argument can hold true. When senior executives have been around for an extended period of time they can lose the objectivity and fresh eyes approach that an external party can bring to the table. So can it be with their way of thinking that may have become entrenched and habitual in approaching the organisations challenges and issues.

So which of the options would yield the best results as a leadership trainer? They both certainly have advantages. Tne thing that most would agree with is the fact there is a place for both. The question is of balance and weighing of merits.

This balance will depend upon the management training outcomes that are required. If they are focused mainly on the behavioural aspects then one can argue that external support would be preferred. If however the focus is centred around the particular leadership skills based upon the technical aspects then an internal weighting may be more advantageous.

Either way they should not be mutually exclusive. Realism is essentially the key. Neither internal, nor an external leadership trainer can attend to all the aspects proficiently. The important factor is the openness and egolessness of the individuals so as not to engage in competitive behaviour to win the balance in their favour.

For this not to occur there first needs to be a high level of trust between the management trainer and participants. This will enable the best coaching result.

The structure of a leadership training program is complex and it is wise to consider all the resources at hand to find the best combination. In this way optimum efficiency and effectiveness will be achieved.